5

X-23 was not used to beds. She'd spent the last year sleeping in caves and shelters she'd made in the woods, with piles of leaves and other debris for a mattress. For the 15 years before that, she was subjected to all manner of discomfort and torturous conditions thanks to Hydra. To be inside a large, inviting home like the mansion of Charles Xavier, lying in a large, plush bed, was almost too much for her. She hadn't really slept that night, though hardly felt the effect because of her healing factor and conditioning. She had mainly stared at the ceiling as she tried to get used to the sensation of the soft surface below her, the loose cotton clothes she had been given to sleep in, and the warm blanket covering her. Many times in the night she thought of getting up and sleeping on the floor, and she constantly fought the urge to put on her jumpsuit and just flee out the window into the night, but she stowed her instincts and remained lying in the strange bed in the strange house. She was determined to help Logan in his fight with Magneto, and the fight to help make a world safer so others wouldn't suffer as they had. She didn't know much about mutants and humans, or Xavier's dream of coexistence or Magneto's dream of domination. All she knew was that she was tired of running, tired of being used, and tired of others having to live the same way she had. And maybe it would have been easier to accomplish that if she had gone with Sabertooth to Magneto. But her instincts told her that he only wanted to use her as a weapon in his bid for power, while Xavier would at least care about her as a person. Plus, Logan was here.

She found herself thinking a lot about Logan during the night. Ever since she had realized that he was not the cause of her pain but just as much a victim as she was, she had found herself looking to him as an example. She had pored over every file Hydra had on him, so she knew a great deal about him and his activities since escaping Weapon X. She had tried to follow his example by taking down Hydra, just as he had searched out many bases Weapon X had used over the years. She had hoped to return to the Institute when she had finished her mission and join Logan, but knew that Hydra still had some forces out there, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be looking for her as well. Logan said he would take care of Fury, and she believed him. She felt safe with him, like maybe some of the pain from the past couldn't hurt her any more. Even when she had been destroying that last Hydra base and she felt he was getting in the way, she felt confident that with him by her side she could pull it off. She didn't know exactly who he was in her life, if he was a brother or a father or something else, but he was her mentor and he knew her, he understood her, and that put her at ease as they flew in the Velocity back to Bayville.

Yet now that she was at the mansion she was still terrified. She had no idea what to expect. When she had infiltrated the mansion the year before, she had been so angry at the sights of happiness and fun she saw the students having, the care and love they received from the adults, the way they were able to enjoy their existence. She had always planned on disabling all of them to get to Logan, but because they weren't miserable and hurt like she was she enjoyed taking them down, and had to restrain herself from seriously hurting them. Now she was going to be given a chance to be one of them, to have that happiness and love and support and all the normal things a child should get, and she was terrified. A combat mission, infiltration, even a war she could deal with. But right now, seeing the faces of everyone else and having to interact with them socially, she had no idea where to start. Hydra trained her to blend into a crowd and not draw attention to herself. They never trained her on how to fit in as a real member of a group.

So as the sun rose, instead of rising early as she normally would she stayed in the guest room she had been given, wondering just what everyone would think of her, and how she was going to get through it. She was about to just get up and get it over with when she heard voices.

"I'm telling you, Wolverine brought her in last night," said a boy.

"The same one that took us all out with those head thingies?" said another.

"Yeah, she's in there."

"Whoa. She's not going to do that to us again, is she?"

"I don't think so. The way they were showing her around it was like she's joining up."

"Wow, glad she's on our side, she's like Wolverine Jr. Wouldn't want to meet either one in a dark alley."

"Tell me about it. But man, it'll be funny watching her in training sessions. She's either going to be as gung ho as Logan or she's going to fight him on everything."

"I hope she's not gung ho, he'll think the rest of us should be too."

"Ya know, she has hearin' as good as Wolverine," came a new voice, a girl's. "Ya don't wanta be goin' an gettin' her mad, now do ya?"

"Right, going to school now. School's safe, right?"

The voices drifted off down the hall, and X-23 relaxed. For a moment she thought their curiosity would get the best of them and they'd come knocking on her door, but their fear of her stopped them. And she wasn't sure if she liked that either.

She pulled herself out of the bed and went into the bathroom. It was large and elaborate like everything she had seen at the mansion. She used the toilet, thankful to again have one to use (even Hydra had given her that, but nature did not) and she then noticed the shower.

After a half hour under the hot water, she felt more relaxed then she had ever in her life. The kinks in her muscles were massaged out by the various showerhead settings, and the grime from living in the wilderness was washed away with hot water and soap instead of lake water. She dried herself off with one of the towels stacked on a shelf, and walked back out into her guest room. On the bed she found some clothes that someone had come and left for her on the bed. They smelt like the girl who could walk through things, Shadowcat, but they had been recently and the scent was weak, so she put them on and looked at herself in the mirror. They were a little tight, but the girl in the blue jeans and black Xavier's Institute t-shirt that looked back at her from the glass made her smile. It had been a very long time since she had worn casual clothes, since the last time she had one of her "blending" lessons. That was before she had gone through the Weapon X process, before she was deemed too unstable. She pushed the anger that welled up in her aside. "That time is over, I'm free," she said to herself, a mantra she had started during her time in the wilderness.

There was a knock at the door at the same time she detected Logan's scent. "Come in," she said, turning from the mirror and watching him walk in. He too was in jeans and a black shirt, though his lacked the Xavier logo on the left breast.

"You almost look like a regular student here, kid," he said as he looked her once over and gave her a half smile.

"Stop calling me kid," she said, but without the angry conviction she had used when she had told him previous times.

"I will when you're not a kid any more. I know your childhood was mostly taken away from you, but you've got a chance to get that back now. Besides, I think it's a little better than X-23. Speaking of which, we're going to need to find you a name."

"A name?"

"Yeah, you don't see me going by Weapon X any more, do you? Though there are plenty of people out there who make the mistake of callin' me that," he said with a bit of a snarl in his voice.

"Okay, what's my name?"

"I dunno kid, I think that's for you to decide later. Professor wants to talk some more."

She nodded and followed him out of the door and down the stairs. She had met with the Professor briefly when they had arrived the night before, and she had liked the man. He was as Logan had assured her, "a man who genuinely wants to help."

She was led into the Professor's large study. The man sat in his wheelchair behind his desk waiting for her. The one called Storm was sitting in a chair in front of the desk, as was the blue one, Beast. She knew a little about each, but mainly information about their powers and tactical abilities.

"Ah, X-23, I hope you enjoyed your first night here, have a seat," he gestured to a third chair in between Beast and Storm. She came forward and sat down while Logan went to lean up against the fireplace mantel. "I must say that I am quite glad to have you here with us at the Institute. I believe here you will find a place where at last you can learn the skills needed to integrate with society, as well heal from what Hydra has done to you in your life. I'm only sorry that we have only just now been able to contact you."

"What happens to me now?" she asked.

"There are several things we will require of you in order to be a student here. First, when we're done here, Hank will give you a physical."

"I don't need that, I heal fast."

"Of course you do my dear," Hank said. "All the same we'd like to be sure you're healthy. Since cloning and genetic engineering is still a relatively new technology, there could be complications now that you're body is fully maturing. I may not be an expert on the subject, but I should be able to detect any problems that may need to be addressed, though with a healing factor like your's I'm sure you're as fit as fiddle."

Xavier continued. "Our primary goal for you is to help you adjust to the world outside. You will need to attend school classes, as an education will be key to helping you transition better into your new life. We will privately tutor you here at the Institute until you have caught up with the rest of the students, at which time you can join them at the local High School. I would also like to set up a regular meeting with you, perhaps once or twice a week depending on how needed they are, just to talk and discuss you past. There is a great deal of trauma that you have lived through, and with my help we can work through any problems that might occur in the future due to them. Logan also has several private lessons that he would like you to take with him; I will allow you two to work out the details. Other than that, you are free to do what you want. You are more than welcome to join in the training sessions of the other students, but it is your choice. Your particular mutation is one of more intuitive powers rather than those that can be trained, and you have already proven yourself more than a match for the others in combat. Joining one of the teams, in combat or in training, is entirely up to you. You will be free to leave the Institute and explore Bayville when you feel comfortable, though I do ask that for your own safety you always go with other students and an adult chaperone. The remnants of Hydra may still be looking for you and General Fury will no doubt be interested-"

Logan pushed himself off the wall and held a hand out as he cocked his head to listen to something. X-23 did the same and heard them, helicopters heading their way. "Three 'copters, big ones too," Logan said.

Xavier closed his eyes and concentrated. "It's Fury, but that's all I can tell. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s psychic inhibitors are improving."

"Kid, stay here, we'll handle this," Logan said as the others made their way to the door.

She got up and followed them. "No, I'm not running anymore."

Logan looked at Xavier, who nodded in deferment to him. "Fine, but if things get messy remember to go easy on them. Hard to tell but they're the good guys most of the time."

The five mutants made their way to the front lawn as three helicopters landed. The side door to the lead one opened, and Nick Fury jumped out, flanked on each side by a soldier and followed by a woman in a suit. His coat blowing in the wind, Fury made his way to where they were standing near the driveway. He put his hand out and shook Xavier's hand. "Charles, good to see you again."

"And you General."

There was no "what brings you here" or further small talk. Both knew exactly why Fury had made his way to Bayville. He looked over at X-23, staring long into her eyes before speaking. "So you're the famous X-23. I've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time now."

"How did you know she was here Fury?" Logan asked.

"We have constant surveillance on the Institute Logan, too much power here to just turn a blind eye too. And when a Xavier Institute helicopter heads to the Canadian wilderness, we take notice, especially when one of Magneto's spheres is detected in the area too. I had my suspicions given how close you were to where the Hydra base was destroyed, so I came here to see for myself if you brought the girl back with you."

"We won't allow you to take her General," Xavier said. "She has suffered enough as a weapon for others."

"I have no intention of taking her; she's too unstable to be much use to me. I have no doubt Charles that you and your's will be able to give her everything she needs to get over what Hydra did to her far better than I could. But someday when she's ready she'll be a valuable asset to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Like hell she will be bub!" Logan yelled.

"I won't let you turn me into another mindless weapon to do your dirty work!" X-23 said, her claws snapping out of her fists.

"Calm down kid. Logan here used to do missions for me, still does on occasion, and he'll tell you I don't send people to do things I wouldn't do myself, if I were a few years younger. What I mean is that you can really help us out taking out groups like Hydra in the future. I'm not about to lose anyone by trying to force you to do anything, but I can hope you come to the point of wanting to help me."

"I doubt it."

He just smiled. "You are your father's daughter 23."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

Fury turned to his aide and took a folder and a small palm pilot from her. "We started working on these when Dr. Risman came to us about the Hydra's Weapon X ambitions. Most of it is your true past, classified of course, but for public record, Logan is your father, mother was a Jane Doe runaway. We'll give you everything you need to start a life for yourself. Even has a place for you to put your name."

"She won't be in your debt like this Fury!" Logan said.

"She won't be, but she needs us if she ever intends to leave the mansion. You know me Logan, I'm not a cruel man. I may have seen her as an asset when Risman came to us, but I also saw a little girl who'd been forced to grow up very fast by the bad guys I'm trying to stop. All I need is her finger prints and a name and we'll get her everything she needs. And yeah, I'm scratching your back so someday you'll scratch mine, but like I said, I'm not the type to force you kid. We're S.H.I.E.L.D., not Hydra."

She looked at him intently for a few moments, and then placed her hand on the outstretched device. In did a quick scan, and with a beep it was done.

"I hope everything works out for you kid. What they did to you is one of the reasons I hate Hydra so much."

"Me too."

Fury smiled. "You're in good hands kid. Logan, call me when she comes up with a name and we'll send you documents for her." Fury turned and headed back to the helicopter, calling out one last time. "Remember kid, I scratched your back!" He climbed into the helicopter and in and its escorts took off into the morning sun.

"Told you I'd handle him," Logan said with a smile as they headed back into the mansion.

-------------

"Dude, you actually met Revanche? I thought she was just a rumor," Freddie asked.

Todd hopped onto the table and looked at Lance, "I hear she's like mega super hot. You think she's into me?"

They were sitting at what would one day be a sidewalk café. Since the population of Avalon was relatively small, much of what would become a bustling mutant community was empty. They had found this café a few days ago during their wandering through what Magneto had created and it had become their place to laze.

"Yeah, she's pretty hot, until you look in her eyes. I've never seen anything like it. Magneto said the Hand had tortured her, and you can see it man. Her eyes are dead, like she wouldn't care about cutting your throat or letting you go. It's scary."

"Whoa, sounds like another girl who would hate your guts Toad."

"Hey, shut up Blob. You're just jealous that my Wanda Bear is madly in love with the Toad."

"Okay, seriously Toad, you stay away from my sister," Pietro cut it. "She's getting pretty ticked off at you and her temper's not all gone, remember?"

"I know, I know, but a dude can dream yo. Hehe, maybe one day we'll be family!"

"Dream about something else Todd, you're making me sick."

Lance rubbed his neck where a small scar from the dagger was still there. "What kind of name is Revanche, anyways? Sounds like she's trying to take my name."

"It's French, it means revenge," Pietro said. "Sounds like she's got some anger issues too. I bet she and Wanda will be best friends."

"I didn't know you spoke French Pietro," Blob said.

"I speak a lot of languages, I'm a fast learner."

"Yo, give me something to say to Wanda, something, you know, romantic sounding."

"How about I run you out to the middle of the ocean and drop you there?"

"Man Pietro, why you being like that? I thought it was bros before hos yo."

"Did you just call my sister a ho?"

"Uh, no, of course not, you know, it's, ahhh!"

Pietro grabbed Todd and ran with him up the side of the nearby building to the roof, swining him over the edge ready to drop him.

"I might not be super strong, but I bet I could get you at least to the other side of the street from this height."

"I swear man, I didn't mean anything."

"Whatever, I should do it just to teach you some—"

Pietro stopped short as his eyes caught someone walking down the street towards the café. Putting Toad down on the edge of the building, he ran back down to the other. "Heads up guys we have company."

Just then from around the corner two people appeared, a man and a woman. The man was tall, nearly six and a half feet, with dusky black skin. The sun glared off of his bald head and illuminated the M tattooed over his eye. He wore a plain black jumpsuit with two plasma pistols in holsters at his hips. The woman had pale skin and long black hair tied back behind her. Her eyes were hard, with small scars underneath them. She too wore a black jumpsuit, though her's was much more form fitting and the front was unzipped past the valley of her breast. She wore pistol, down lower then the man, strapped to her him.

They walked with a purpose over to the group. "Don't you have something more productive to be doing then sitting around all day?" The woman asked.

"Magneto hasn't given us anything to do," Lance said. "All he's said is to wait until he called us."

The man grunted. "Leave them Sage; I wouldn't trust them with any of the work around here anyways."

"What do you want Bishop, or are you two just here to give us crap for being a bunch of lazy kids?" Lance asked.

"Magneto is looking for Gambit. Have any of you seen him."

"Haven't seen Gambit in days." Blob answered.

"What's so important about the Cajun?" Quicksilver asked. "Who needs a thief when you can run faster than alarms?"

"Magneto's business. Contact us if you see him." The two continued down the road past them.

"Man, what a tool," Lance said as they got out of ear shot.

"Hey guys? Anyone wanna help get me down?" yelled Toad.

-------------

When Rogue and Kurt walked into the rec room they found Bobby sitting watching television. Watching was a bit of a stretch. He sat on the couch which a pile of ice sitting on his chest and larger piece pressed against his eye as he stared blankly at the teen drama stars on the television.

"Ugh Bobby, why are ya watching this crap?" Rogue asked. "And what the hell happened ta you?"

"Kitty happened. And I would change the channel, but the remote's all the way over there," he said, pointing at the remote sitting about a foot out of his reach.

Kurt laughed and flipped the remote to him. "Kitty did zhis?"

Bobby groaned. Rogue laughed. "Girl has been takin' lessons three days ah week from Logan for almost two and a half years. It shows."

"What did I do to deserve this? I've done nothing but apologize for the last week."

"Maybe 'cause there's only ah week left until the dance an' since you haven't asked her yet she' cutting it close on how long she has to find ah dress," Rogue offered.

"Tomorrow, I'm asking her tomorrow at school, I swear,"

Kurt just laughed. "Oh man, you are already so vhipped!"

"Laugh it up furball, how tight around her finger does Amanda have you?"

"Touché."

"Well, if ya boys don't mind, Ah think Ah'm gunna take ah walk," Rogue said getting up.

"Sis, ve're sorry, ve can talk about something else."

"Don't bother Kurt, Ah just need some air, that's all."

Rogue walked out of the room, leaving behind anything else they might have said. Sometimes she didn't understand herself. She could talk and tease Kitty all the time about boys and relationships, but sometimes, out of no where it hit her and she had to get out of there. She knew she would never touch anyone, she would never have the relationship her brother and Amanda had, or the one Kitty and Bobby were moving towards. And as much as they made her sick when they were together, part of her was envious of what they had.

She made her way to a tree out in the grounds that she often sat and read under. It reminded her a great deal of home and better days as a child where she didn't have the burdens she carried now, days where she could sit and daydream about her wedding, about the perfect man she would have and the life they would lead. Those dreams were worse then nightmares now, because they were hopeless. Her life was cursed, and as tears began to uncontrollably fall down her face she tucked her knees in her arms and buried her face.

She ignored the "bamf" she heard next to her, but when an arm wrapped around her she moved her head to rest against Kurt's chest.

"It's okay Rogue. Let it out."

"It's not okay Kurt! Ah'm cursed. Ah'm never going to be able ta touch someone or hold their hand of be in ah relationship because Ah'll kill them. It's not fair!"

"I know it isn't fair. But zhat is vhy you are here, zu help get control. You vill find avay because you von't accept not being able zu touch. And in zhe mean time," he lifted her chin with his gloved hand to look her in the eye, "ve vill all make do. Ve vill find vays," he said, wiping away a falling tear.

She smiled slightly at this and hugged him. "Ah'm really glad to have you as mah brother Kurt."

"And I am glad zu have you as my sister."

They stayed like that for five minutes, Rogue's tears coming to just sobs, and eventually ending. Kurt held her and stroked her hair, reassuring her that she was loved despite her handicap, and that things would work out in the end. She eventually broke the hug and stood, brushing her cheeks to wipe away the tears.

"Gawd, Ah'm a mess, aren't Ah?"

"Ja, but zhat's vhat you get for veering so much makeup."

"Shut it Elf," she said, but she did give him a slight smile. "Don't tell everyone about this, 'kay? Ah don't want everyone fussin' over me."

"Zhey vouldn't believe me if I told zhem you cried, so no problem."

She gave him another hug. "You're always there for me, ain't you?"

"I'm your brother, I alvays vill be."

An explosion rocked the front gate, sending the two teens flying to the ground. Luckily they were also thrown apart, so Rogue didn't touch Kurt accidentally.

"Why is it every time there's ah tender moment around here something explodes!" Rogue said, pulling her self to her feet. A shadow above her moved forward, and she threw a punch at the figure. It grabbed her wrist and pulled her near. Her vision filled with glowing red eyes on a black background and it stopped her heart for a beat.

"Now chere, I'm glad ta see you to, but tears a' joy are a bit much, don' you t'ink?"